Gate.



Patented Apr. I, I902.

T. A. HILL. GATE. (Application filed June a, 1961.

2 Sheets-Shoat I.

(No Model.)

m: uonma Perms morouma. WASH 2.. U m r p A d 6 t n e a P. L E m AG(Application filed June 6, 190 1,)

- 2 Sheets-Shmet 2.

(N0 Model.)

norms Pawns co, vuomu'nn. wnsumnron. a. c.

Unrrnn STATES Parn'r Prion.

TERELIUS ALLEN HILL, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,676, dated April 1,1902.

Application filed June 6, 1901. Serial No. 63,394. (No model.)

To all whom, may concern:

Be it known that I, TERELIUS ALLEN HILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Knoxville, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification. I

My invention relates to gates which extend across a roadway or entranceto a building or other similar passage.

The invention has reference particularly to gates which are supported atone end upon a hinge which is horizontal and perpendicular to the planeof the gate and located at one side of the passage or opening which thegate is intended to close.

The object of the improvement is to provide a simple and efficient gateembodying devices adapting the gate to be turned upon its hinge bypullingacord or similar device extending perpendicularly, orsubstantially so, to the plane of the gate.

The improvement includes means for automatically latching the gate,means for efiectively counter-balancing the gate upon its hinge, animproved post construction for supporting the gate,and otherfeatures,which will be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gateembodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan of the gate-sup ports. Fig. 3is an elevation of the end of the gate adjacent to the hinge, the Viewbeing perpendicular to Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side view of thecounterbalance -chest, said chest being shown without the front wall andin the-position assumed when the gate is turned into the uprightposition. Fig.5 is an end elevation of thecounterbalance-chest shown inFig. 4:, the side walls being in place. Figs. 6 and j 7 are detailsillustrating the manner of securing the arms which support the cordswhereby the gate is shifted. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are demy improvement maybe applied to ordinary hinged gates.

A is the gate proper. This is shown composed of the top rail A, bottomrail A front uprights A counterbalance chest B and braces O. Said gateis hinged on the horizontal shaft 0, which shaft is supported by theposts D D, said posts being located at opposite sides of the gate andsubstantially opposite each other, said shaft extending through saidposts and the braces 0, immediately in front of the counterbalance-chestB. One end of each brace O is shown secured to the forward portion ofthe side of the counterbalancechest, about midway between the top andbottom of the chest, and the opposite end of each such brace is attachedto the top rail A of the gate. Said braces O serve to stay the top railin two directions-in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane-becausethe top rail is narrower than the counterbalance-chest and extendsmidway over the latter, so that the braces O converge both horizontallyand vertically. Said chest is shown composed of the front wall B, rearwall B top wall B bottom wall B, side walls B and partition B. Saidpartition divides said chest into two compartments B and B When the gateis in the horizontal position, said compartments are alined vertically,B being above B and when the gate is in the upright position saidcompartments are alined horizontally, as shown in Fig. 4:. A suitableaperture 1; extends through one of the walls of the compartment B and asimilar aperture 5 extends through one of the walls of the compartment BA plug b may be used to close the opening B and a similar plug 5 may beused for closing the opening 19 The partition B is located adjacent tothe shaft 0, so that said compartments are at opposite sides of a planecutting the gate lengthwise and located near the shaft 0. By insertin gmore or less sand, gravel, or any other suitable weight material throughthe apertures b and b not only can the aggregate of the weight of saidchest be adjusted with reference to the aggregate weight of the gate atthe counterbalance may be readily adapted to any peculiarity ofconstruction in the gate whereby the weight at the top and bottom of thegate is varied. This means for adjusting the counterbalance isfrequently useful. Even when a number of gates are constructed assimilar as to shape and size as possible there are differences in weightof the same pieces, which will require a corresponding adjustment of theupper and lower portions of the counterbalance. For example, if thebottom rail A or other pieces at the lower portion of the gate aredisproportionately heavy on account of the density of the wood or itsabsorption of Water or if in making the gate an additional piece isapplied, so as to increase the weight of the lower portion of the gate,then allowance is made for the excessive weight by drawing the plug band inserting into the compartment B additional weight material untilthe desired approximation to equilibrium is again attained. The frontwall B and rear wall B of the chest 13 have extensions B rising abovethe wall B to a height equaling, approximately, the vertical thicknessof the top rail A. The spaces between said extensions are of properwidth to receive the thickest top rail A which it is probable will beused. At its lower end the wall B has similar extensions B The top railA rests in the recesses between the extensions B B and is thereinsuitably secured, as by bolts or pins a, reaching through saidextensions and rail. The bottom rail A extends into the recess betweenthe extensions B and is therein suitably secured, as by a pin or bolt areaching through said extensions aud rail.

The braces O are preferably detachably secured, as by a bolt 0 extendingthrough said braces and the top railA, and by one or more bolts Cextending through said braces and the chest 13, and the uprights A arepreferably removably secured by a bolt a extending through said uprightsand the top rail, and a similar bolt at, extending through said uprightsand the bottom rail A When constructed in this form, the gate may bereadily separated and the parts crated for shipment in knockdown form.Furthermore, by thus making the parts of the gate separable myimprovement may be readily and economically applied to ordinary hingedgates already constructed, as will be hereinafter described.

E is a sill extending horizontally beneath and parallel to the gateproper. The function of said sill is to form means, either exclusive ofor supplemental to the ground, for securing the posts D D, D D, and F F.It is to be understood that said sill may be omitted and the severalposts mentioned set into the ground. As the posts D D and D D areusually set farther apart at their bases than the width needed for thesill E, cross-sills E E may be applied to said sill E as a means forattachment of the lower ends of said posts D D and D D. The posts D andD at the same side of the sill E and the gate converge as they riseuntil they meet at the top, where they are firmly joined, as by a bolt DSaid posts D D (and also the posts D D) are separated sufficiently atthe top to make room for the passage of the gate and for the arms whichsupport the shifting-cords, as will be hereinafter described, and saidposts D D (and also the posts D D) preferably diverge from the bottomtoward the top in order that greater stability may be attained by thebraces which said posts constitute when the forming of a parallelogramby the posts D D, shaft 0, and cross-sill E is avoided.

A is a bolt or shaft joining the posts F immediately below the adjacentend of the top rail A, which rail extends between said posts. Said boltor shaft serves to stay the said posts F, and it also serves as a restfor said top rail and as a stop for the latch A As shown, said latchconsists of spring metal and is secured by its lower end to the frontportion of the gate, as to one of the uprights A by means of a screw orbolt a it is bent horizontally toward the hinge of the gate to make thehip a", which is to extend beneath the bar or bolt A when the latch isin its normal position. The free end of said latch is bent into the formof an eye a or otherwise shaped for the convenient attachment of a cordA which may be led through suitable guides A A to the cords G, to whichit is joined.

Two arms H are used for supporting the cords G, one of said arms beingplaced at each side of the gate, between the adjacent posts D and D, andhinged (so as to permit horizontal movement, as hereinafter described)on the shaft 01, which extends horizontally through said posts. Aguy-wire or similar brace H, extending from the bolt D which joins saidposts to a staple or similar device H on the arm H, serves to hold saidarm in the horizontal position or in such approximation to thehorizontal position as may be desired. A pulley H hung from the end ofeach such arm adjacent to the shaft d, and another similar pulley H hungfrom the opposite or free end of each such arm, serve as guides for thecords G. If so desired, one or more eyes or staples H upon said arm maysupport said cords between said pulleys. A ring H or similar device maybe attached to the free end of each cord G, to be grasped by the handfor drawing said cord. Said ring or similar device should be ofsufficient weight todraw the cord G and also the cord A taut withoutdrawing the latter cord sufficiently to move the latch A I From thepulleys H the cords Gr extend downward between the four adjacent poststo the shaft 0, which shaft extends horizontally from one brace C to theother. The cord A, Fig. 1, should be so short as to draw the cords Goutof line toward the free end of the gate in order that when one of thecords G is drawn for the purpose of opening the gate said cord inbecoming straightened At its upper end Then when the nut 0 on said shaft0 is tight-.

eeaere between its pulley H and the shaft C will draw the'cord Alengthwise toward the hinge end of the gate sufficiently to pull thelatch A from beneath the bar A.

As shown by Fig. 1, the space between the posts D and D at the shaft Clis wider than the thickness of the arm H. Said arm is hinged to saidshaft so as to allow the latter to turn in a horizontal plane to alimited degree. For this purpose the said arm may have, an elongatedaperture h for receiving said shaft d, as illustrated by Figs. 6 and'7,the formerbein g an elevation and the latter a sectional plan. Thislateral movement of said arm is facilitated by the flexible guy H. Thisprovision for lateral movement makes it possible for a person on avehicle or on a horse to shift said lever into a convenient position lowthe pulley H to follow to a limited extent the movement of the gatewhile the latter is bein g shifted.

It is to be observed that the adjacent ends of the arms H mustbeseparated sufficiently to allow the gate to pass between said ends, asindicated by the dotted linesin Fig. 3.

To aid in establishing and maintaining the proper distance between theupper ends of the posts D D, suitable washers C may be insert-' edbetween said posts D D and the braces O.

ened stability is given to said posts and to the gate.

As an adjunct to the counterbalance-chest or as a substitute therefor,if so desired, I interpose between the posts D and D and the gate acontracting spring I, which is put under tension as the gate approacheseither limit of its range of movement. Said spring may be applied in anyone of several ways. I show its upper end attached to a horizontalcrossbar 1 extending from one of the posts D to the adjacent post D,while the lower end of said spring is attached by means of a cord 1 tothe shaft 0 (to which the cord G is also attached.) The aggregate lengthof saidspring and the cord 1 is such as to put the spring under strainto such an extent as may be desiredwhen the gate is in the horizontalposition. barl is so located as to make the distance from said point tothe shaft 0 substantially the same when the gate is in the horizontalposition or when it is tilted upward beyond its axis. Thus thespringwill become engaged as the gate is approaching either limit of itsrange of movement, and the resistance of the spring will graduallyreduce the momentum of the gate and prevent shock as the gate reachesits limit.

The spring I is preferably'duplicated, one being located at each side ofthe gate, to the end that the spring action may not be at only one sideof the plane of the gate and tend to draw the latter sidewlse. It isobvious that the strength of the spring or springs I and The point ofattachment on the the rectangular frame J of a common form' of metallicgate is attached by suitable clamps J 4 J extending around the verticalportion of said bar J and the vertical portion of said gate-frame Jchest B to the upper portion of said frame J and are there secured bythe bolt C used in Fig. 1. Itis notimportant whether the clamps J securethe frame J 3 against lateral turning on the member J, for such turningis prevented by the braces G. This willbe apparent by an inspection ofFig. 9.

In Fig. 10 there is shown a modification of the form illustrated inFigs. 8 and 9. Bars K and K take the places, respectively, of the innerends of the top rail A and bottom rail A the attachment of said membersbeing again formed by means of the pins a anda K K and K, respectively,are the top rail, bottom rail, and end upright of an ordinarywooden-frame gate, said parts overlapping at the corners. Bolts is,extendingthrough the end upright K and the adjacent bar K or K, join theframe to the bars K and K. The brace (Lagain secured to thecounterbalancechest B, extends obliquely upward and is joined by thebolt 0 to the gate-frame.

By means of the modifications illustrated by Figs. 8, 9, and 10 myimprovement may readily be applied to gates already constructed. Thecounterbalance -chest, the braces O, the posts D and D and F, and thearmsH and other parts may always be madealike, if so desired. a

I claim as my invention 1. A gate supported on a horizontal hinge andhaving a counterbalance-chest comprising two compartments which are atopposite sides of a plane cutting said gate lengthwise and near whichsaid hinge lies, substantially as described.

2. Agate supported on a horizontal hinge and a counterbalance-chestcomprising two compartments which are at opposite sides of aplane'cuttingsaid gate lengthwise and near which said hinge lies, eachsuchcompartment havingan aperture and removable means for closing saidaperture, substantially as J described.

3. A gate having a detachable counterbalance-chest and braces, G,extendingfromi the sides of saidchest to the top rail of the gateandhaving holes for receiving a hinge-shaft, 0, between the point ofattachmenttosaid top railK of the chest and the point of attachment tothe frame of the gate, substantially as described.

4. A counterbalance-chest for a gate, said chest being provided at itsupper portion and at its lower portion with means for detach The bracesC extend from the IIO ably securing horizontal bars, substantially asdescribed.

5. A counterbalance-chest for a gate, said .chest being provided at itsupper portion and at its lower portion with means for detachablysecuring horizontal bars,and braces leadin gfrom the sides of said chesttoward the free end of the gate, substantially as described.

6. A gate having a top rail and a bottom rail extending, respectively,over and beneath a hinge, and a counterbalance chest located between anddetachably secured to said rails, substantially as described.

7. A counterbalance chest substantially upright when the gate is in itsclosed position, a horizontal partition dividing said chest into twocompartments, and suitable apertures for the insertion of weightmaterial into said compartments, substantially as described.

8. A counterbalance-chest for a gate, said chest comprising side Walls,top and bottom Walls, and front and rear walls, the latter havingextensions for the attachment of said chest to the gate, substantiallyas described.

9. The combination with two pairs of converging posts, of a gate hingedto two of said posts standing at opposite sides of said gate, a shaft,0?, supported by the posts at one side of said gate, and an arm, H,secured to said shaft by a hinge permitting horizontal movement of saidarm, substantially as described.

10. The combination with two pairs of converging posts, of a gate hingedto two of said posts standing at opposite sides of said gate, and acord-supporting arm hinged to said posts above said gate to move in ahorizontal plane, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses,this 3d day of June, in the year 1901.

TERELIUS ALLEN HILL.

Witnesses:

J. H. FRANTZ, CYRUS KEHR.

